Railroad-tie plate.



w. LAFLER.

RAILROAD TIE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1918.

1,267,234. Patented May 21,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gnuewtoz Witness WWW W. LAFLER.

RAILROAD TIE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I918.

1,267,234. Patented May 21,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

gmwntoz RAILROAD-TIE PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Application filed. February 9, 1918. Serial No. 216,341.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LArnER a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake George, in the county of Clare and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Tie Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to railway constructions.

An object of the invention is the provision of a tie plate of novel construction between and arranged upon the ties to provide a proper ing wit the rails to hold the said rails against creeping, sinking or lateral movement.

Other objects and advantages will appear as I the nature ofthe invention is better understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the application of the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is' a sectional view approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2, the rail being removed.

Fig, 4 is a plan view of the body member or plate proper.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a view looking toward the outer edge of the slidable clamp.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the fulcrum lever.

Before proceeding with the description of the details of my construction I desire to state that the body members of my clamp may be spiked to the ties before the rails are laid thereon so that the improvement thus provides a gage for the rails. The plate when clamped upon the tie may remain a permanent fixture therewith. Should it be found necessary to replace a tie on which the plate rests, the securing elements between the plate and tie may be either partly or wholly withdrawn and the injured tie slipped from beneath the rails and replaced by a perfect tie. The securing elements for the plate are then, of course, forced in the new tie, and thus the removal of the plate from the rail will not be necessitated.

age for the rails and when engag Referring now to the drawings in detail the numeral 1 designates the rails and 2 the ties on which the rails are supported.

My improved tie plate comprises a body portion or plate proper indicated by the numeral 3. The plate, adjacent one of its ends is formed with an upwardly arranged inwardly flanged lug 4, disposed transversely of the plate, the said flanged lug engaging with the base flange of the rail 1. The plate 3 is centrally provided upon its upper face with a substantially V-shaped depression 5 that passes through the lug 4 dividing the same, and in reality providing a lug at each side of the depression. The angular portion of the side walls provided by the depression 5, adjacent to the ends of the plate may, if desired, be straight, and the plate, at its end opposite that provided with the lug 4 is formed with vertical projections 6, the side walls of which are beveled inwardly as at 7, thus providing shoulders 8 at the ends of the channel formed by the beveled portion 7 and the terminals of the side Walls formed by the V-shaped portion 5.

The plate, upon the outer sides of the divided lug 4 is provided with alining transverse slots 9, and outward of the said slots with spike'opening 10. Through these openings 10 are passed spikes 11 which enter the tie 2. The plate 3, at its opposite end,

and centrally between the projections 6 is provided with an additional spike openin 2.

en the body member of the plate, just described, is secured on a tie, the same has received in the depression 5 thereof a wedge shaped member 13 of a thickness equaling the depth of the depression. On the outer end of the member is formed a transversely arranged upstanding lipped enlargement 14, the sides of the said enlarged portion 14 being straight, but being cut longitudinally to provide horizontal walls 15 which overlie and are arranged on the straight outer surfaces of the projection 6. The said sides are then cut outwardly at an angle, as indicated by the numerals 16, and these angular edges are adapted to be received by the beveled inner walls of the projections 6. The angular portions or tongues 16 terminate -in shoulders which are designed to contact with the shoulders 8 in the beveled grooves 7 to limit the movement of themember 13 inwardlyof the plateand the; lipped rail base engaging the portion 14' thereof in movement toward the rail. The enlarged end of the member 13, outward of, the, lipi 14;,is, brought in tight rail engaging position, to register With the opening 12, and a securingelem'ent in the nature of a spike 18 is passed through jthesefopenings and enters thetieQI To facilitate the longitudinal movement or adjustment of the" rail engaging member 13 With respect ,to the plate .3, the vinner and reduced end Ofthe .said member has loosely seeured thereto a link-19 which is also loosely connected to"a fulcru1n member or lever 21] The body ofgt hen ember gl is centrally slottedrfrom; its lo Werand. widened end, a pin passing transversely the slot to receive he enter cndcf the linklS). The lever, at its lovver andlrv idenedIendl is provided With laterally extending trunnions 22 which find a bearinginthe slots 9. By swinging the lever to a verticalpositilcn the member 13, through the medium of the; link connection betweent he said member and the .leverwill be swung outwardly of theplate 3 and by swinging the lever rto i'ts horizontal positionthe said .niember ,\v ill;be {drawn inwardly over the plate to {rail engag' ing position. -Tlie lever, outward of its lopse connection with the linklE) isc urve das at p 23, and: preferably the loiver ,Wall of the ,depression betvv'een the spike ,openings,1;0 is provided, With an angular notch 2 k to receive the outer fiend of, the lever, 0" that, the} lever 1 i hu rr n e a a l i ti la T t lipp'ed or clamping portion 14 6f the member 13 is retained in engagement with,the rail, I even. before thespike ,18 is applied.

s whe take in c ml ea o -.W t vdrawings, the simpl c ty and advantages of copies of, this patent may be obtained fgr Itisfb elieved, vfrom the fioregoing descripthe construction will be apparent Without further" detailed description.

What I claim is:"

1. A rail plate, designed to be spiked to a ,tie,,and.11 reQeive aJrail thereon, having a rail engaging flange, said plate having its upper face provided with a longitudinal depression, a member: arranged 1n said depression and interengaged by theside Walls. provided by the depression, said member having a rail'engaging lip, a lever fulcrumed on the plate, a linkreonnection between-the lever and said. member whereby to move the member tdbring the lip thereon toward or awayfirom the .raiL and means for locking said memberto saicl,plate Wl1en the member is n railengaging pnositlon.

2. A rail plate,- designed to be spikedto a tie and to 'IGCGIVG a rail thereon, having a transverse lug providing an upstanding 'fiange to engage therail, saldplate being thickened. upon tsnpper face at; 1 t s end op posite the lug, said. plate having'f acentral depression theretllroug h, the side alls of the depressionat thethiekenediend "otthe plate I b ing in li i w d me b arrangedfforf slidable movement in. the depression having dutstanding tongues ,at bne of the I ends thereof received under thereferred to I inwardly v inclined 7 portions of the sidewalls of the depression, an, angular lever having oneof its" ends provided .v'vith projectingv trunnions, said plate; having'slots t0 the rear, of its. railflengaging luggto ireceive the said trunnions, a 7 link loosely, connected 1 With the member and .ivi'thf'the lever, and spikes designed, to pass through thejmembe'r and thr ou'gh the plate and enter. thetievvhen the member is moved by the act uationiof the lever to rail engaging position.

In testimony whereof I niyi signature.

. W LL AMQLA LE fiye cents each, by addressing the Coxnm issien er pf I Lfa tents, 

